St Helens will not rush to appoint successor to Keiron Cunningham

Sean Long spent 12 years as a player at St Helens before returning as a coach in 2014

St Helens have told BBC Radio Merseyside that Sean Long, Jamahl Lolesi and Derek Traynor could remain in charge for the rest of 2017 as they look for Keiron Cunningham's successor.

Saints parted company with club legend Cunningham on Monday after 24 years as a player and then coach.

The 40-year-old ex-hooker had been in charge for just over two years.

His assistants Long and Lolesi, as well as Under-19s coach Traynor, were placed in temporary charge of the side.

"There is a lot of emotion within the club but there is no time to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves," Lolesi, 36, told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"Keiron rang me to give me the news. It's disappointing but it is a measure of the man that he just wanted to get on with the game and get a win, that's more important than his situation which is the way he has always been.

"We're paid to make sure we do our best with the group we have got and we will continue to do that until the powers that be bring in a new head coach.

"The chairman asked us to stay on and steer the ship for the time being and we'll try and do our best job."